The Things We Know Now le Catherine Dunne

Patrick and Ella Grant lead a charmed existence. Patrick fell apart after his first wife died suddenly, but after meeting Ella he has managed to get back on track. If Patrick’s grown up daughters are not unanimously ecstatic at his newfound happiness, he resolves to bear with it. An unexpected pregnancy cements the couple’s happiness, and son Daniel grows up in a household where he is adored. At 14, Daniel is an accomplished artist and musician, and seems mature beyond his years. When the worst imaginable thing happens, the family is utterly devastated. A compassionate writer at the best of times, Dunne handles the issue of teenage suicide in a calm and considered way, while never underplaying the calamitous effect on the people left to grieve. In perhaps the novel’s only shortcoming, she goes a long way towards explaining the ‘why’ in this particular case, but for many grieving relatives this is the one question they never manage to answer. A moving and not always easy read, this is an excellent novel that deserves a wide audience.

Bedsit Disco Queen: How I Grew Up and Tried to be a Pop Star ble Tracey Thorn

Tracey Thorn has turned her not inconsiderable song-writing talents into a thoroughly entertaining and riveting focus on her life in music. Like many teenagers, Thorn was hooked on music at an early age, although she admits to being a later starter than many of her peers. In an era when it seemed that anyone who could hold a guitar was setting up a band, she and a few friends joined forces as The Marine Girls. But it was the years with Everything But the Girl, started with her then partner and now husband Ben Watt, that made Thorn’s name in the music business. The group enjoyed much success on the domestic and international scene, and probably stunned onlookers by quitting at the pinnacle of their careers. Babies and children took over for a while, and Watt pursued DJing and his own record label business, while Thorn occasionally dipped a toe back in the water. Her writing voice is much like that of her singing – witty, entrancing and just unique enough to leave you wanting more. A great read.